17 
Dorset lived in and about Nettilling in the winter of 1925-26 hunting 
caribou and making occasional visits to Nettilling fiord to secure seals. 
In the old days a tribe of the Talirpingmuit inhabited Nettilling fiord 
and Nettilling lake. Of all the tribes in Baffin island, they were the only 
ones whose residence was not confined to the seashore. These people had 
three or four settlements on Nettilling lake; at Tikerakdjung, near the 
south end of the lake; at the outlet of the Koukjuak, on the left bank of 
the river; at Karmang; and probably a fourth one on the north shore. 
The greater part of the tribe spent the winter in Nettilling fiord near 
Imigen. About the first of May they started inland and returned to the 
sea again about December. 
Nettilling lake between the mouth of Takuirbing river and the western 
islands became free of ice on the evening of August 9. On August 10 the 
writer with Constable Tredgold and one Eskimo, and employing the 
canoe, started for Nettilling fiord which was reached the night of August 
13. Messages for the police patrol, due to arrive on August 15, were left 
there and the Nettilling Lake camp was returned to on August 17. The 
next day the party embarked on the boat with the canoe in tow. For 
about 8 miles the course was southwest with the mainland to the east 
and a maze of islands to the west. Beyond the course turned gradually 
to the west and then northwest across the mouth of a large bay. All 
about were numerous islands on one of which camp was made. 
The mainland here is low, in few places rising over 150 feet above the 
lake; much of it is only 25 to 75 feet high. Few of the islands are over 25 
to 50 feet high. 
The voyage was continued on August 19 with a heavy sea running 
and by evening the open lake was reached beyond the maze of islands at 
its head. The land is low. On August 20, the wind was light and west- 
ward progress was slow. On August 21, a strong breeze improved sailing 
conditions. The elevation of the mainland continued to fall in a westerly 
direction and for several miles inland the height is not more than 10 or 
20 feet above lake-level. A strong gale on August 22 prevented travel. 
On August 23, the wind having moderated, the narrows at the south head 
of the lake were reached early in the afternoon. The narrows are about 
300 yards wide with a slight current. The surrounding lands are flat, or 
gently rolling, with an average elevation of only a few feet above the lake. 
A number of low ridges cut across the country. The ground is covered 
scantily with moss, lichens, and various shrubs and grasses, the moss 
predominating. 
To the south, the lake broadens again to form the elongated bay of 
Kangidlirn, the southern extremity of Nettilling lake. It is dotted with 
low, small islands which, like the mainland, appear to be composed of 
loose material. 
Camp w T as made at evening on August 23 on an island a couple of 
miles southwest of the narrows. A strong gale developed during the night. 
It was still in force in the morning and the island could not be left. On 
August 25, the wind and sea having materially subsided, the south coast 
was reached, but the mouth of Amadjuak river could not be found. A 
ridge parallels the lake shore at a distance of or 2 miles. The inter- 
vening ground is swampy with many shallow ponds and low hummocks 
of gravel and rock. The ridge is about 80 feet high. From the top, the 
isolated hill, Pingualuik, was the most notable feature in sight. Between 
